| Submit your comments on this article |
| Science & Technology |
| Will The U.S. Navy Build New Cruisers? |
| 2024-07-04 |
| The U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class cruisers are approaching the end of their service lives and will be decommissioned in the coming years. By 2027, all cruisers will be gone. What will replace them, and will the U.S. Navy build new cruisers as replacements? The U.S. Navy did have the Next-Generation Cruiser program (CG(X)), started in November 2001, to design and replace the Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The CG(X) program was canceled in 2010. In CG(X)’s canceled program’s place, the U.S. Navy decided to acquire Flight III DDG-51s, upgraded versions of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. According to the June 10, 2010, Congressional Research Service (CRS) report to Congress, “The CG(X) program was announced on November 1, 2001, when the Navy stated that it was launching a Future Surface Combatant Program aimed at acquiring a family of next-generation surface combatants. This new family of surface combatants, the Navy stated, would include three new classes of ships. • a destroyer called the DD(X)—later renamed the DDG-1000 or Zumwalt class—for the precision long-range strike and naval gunfire mission, • a cruiser called the CG(X) for the AAW [Anti-Air Warfare] and BMD [Ballistic Missile Defense] mission, and • a smaller combatant called the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) to counter submarines, small surface attack craft, and mines in heavily contested littoral (near-shore) area.” The tumblehome hull Zumwalt-class destroyers (DDG-1000) and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) were indeed built, but the CG(X) program did not become a reality. In June 2024, Naval News asked the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) about cruiser replacements and if there would be any new CG(X) program resurrection. NAVSEA forwarded my request to the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Information (CHINFO) office, who replied: "The Navy does not intend to replace Ticonderoga-class cruisers with CG(X). In the near term, the DDG 51 FLT III, and DDG(X) in the long term, fulfill the requirements historically supported by the Ticonderoga-class cruisers." “While DDG 51 Flight III capabilities enable the surface force to pace adversary threats into the future, after 40 years of production and 30 years of upgrades, the DDG 51 hull form has inadequate space, weight, power, and cooling margins (SWaP-C) for future upgrades,” “DDG(X) represents an evolutionary vice revolutionary approach that will provide the Navy with the warfighting capabilities and SWaP-C margins to relieve both the Arleigh Burke DDG 51 class destroyer and Ticonderoga CG 47 class cruiser as the next enduring hull form.” When asked why the CG(X) program was canceled and if the Requirements for the CG(X) program still exist, CHINFO’s spokesperson said, “CG(X) represented a revolutionary vision for the future of the Navy. However, CG(X) was based on the matured DDG 1000 hull form, which met with significant technical and affordability issues. "The requirements that were filled by the Ticonderoga-class cruiser are now being filled by DDG 51 FLT III in the near term and DDG(X) in the long term. The Navy’s current capabilities resident within DDG 51 FLT III and DDG(X) ship classes are sufficient to meet the requirements the CG(X) program was intended to fulfill. These capabilities are deemed sufficient to support the Surface Navy’s mission throughout the range of military operations. Accordingly, there is no plan to pursue the CG(X).” |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #11 "Today something wrong," cries big bruiser, "With shiny 10,000 ton cruiser," As that of his foe, Launched mere moments ago, Drops a deuce. Cue live coverage of newser. Air piracy on the high seas! |
| Posted by: Pancho Poodle8452 2024-07-04 17:24 |
| #10 really close to a large, classic naval battle Orbital bombardment. Ever throw stones into a pond? |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2024-07-04 15:57 |
| #9 IMO the navy should abandon surface ships and concentrate on un-crewed submersibles. would still need surface vessels for support. nuclear fail safe is an imperative. |
| Posted by: irish rage boy 2024-07-04 14:34 |
| #8 Where is Jackie Fisher when you really need him? |
| Posted by: borgboy 2024-07-04 14:09 |
| #7 With the GWOT they thought they didn't need them anymore and stopped building and designing them. Now the Navy sees they are really close to a large, classic naval battle and realize they don't have them and are scrambling to get them designed and built. First one should be online in 2036 after we lose several others in a battle. We are in the classic Axis/Japanese position where we have a large and powerful Navy and no way to replace it. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2024-07-04 12:03 |
| #6 I stand corrected. I knew it was a stretched destroyer hull. My apologies. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2024-07-04 11:04 |
| #5 Ed, they didn't stretch the Burke to build Ticos. The Ticos have virtually the same hull and engineering plant as the long lamented Spruance destoyers. I remember seeing the first Spruance class come into San Diego. The Spruance class was commissioned starting in 1975 and the Ticos in 1983. |
| Posted by: Enver tse Tung8249 2024-07-04 09:09 |
| #4 The Burke class destroyers are very nearly cruisers. In fact, the Navy stretched the Burke design to make the Tico cruisers, which subsequently made them (Ticos) top heavy and difficult to maneuver. That's why they didn't build many. The current motto seems to be "bigger, shinier, with less crew". They've even managed to screw up the Fincanteri frigates being built in Wisconsin, when at least three Euro yards were able to build them successfully. At this point I hope they don't even try. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2024-07-04 08:20 |
| #3 The sailors needed to man any new US naval ship construction have not yet been born. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2024-07-04 08:11 |
| #2 Will The U.S. Navy Build New Cruisers? ...Nope. Maybe they could do a stretched Burke, but they still couldn't bring it in for any reasonable amount of money or in any reasonable amount of time. Mike |
| Posted by: MikeKozlowski 2024-07-04 08:08 |
| #1 Can they build a cruiser? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2024-07-04 07:54 |